Description

With the addch(), waddch(), mvaddch(), and mvwaddch() routines, the character ch is
put into the window at the current cursor position of the window
and the position of the window cursor is advanced. Its function is similar
to that of putchar(). At the right margin, an automatic newline is
performed. At the bottom of the scrolling region, if scrollok() is enabled,
the scrolling region is scrolled up one line.

If ch is a tab, newline, or backspace, the cursor is moved
appropriately within the window. A newline also does a clrtoeol() before moving.
Tabs are considered to be at every eighth column. If ch is
another control character, it is drawn in the ^X notation. Calling winch() after
adding a control character does not return the control character, but instead
returns the representation of the control character. See curs_inch(3CURSES).

Video attributes can be combined with a character by OR-ing them into
the parameter. This results in these attributes also being set. (The intent
here is that text, including attributes, can be copied from one place
to another using inch() and addch().) (see standout(), predefined video attribute constants,
on the curs_attr(3CURSES) page).

The echochar() and wechochar() routines are functionally equivalent to a call to
addch() followed by a call to refresh(), or a call to waddch
followed by a call to wrefresh(). The knowledge that only a single character
is being output is taken into consideration and, for non-control characters, a
considerable performance gain might be seen by using these routines instead of
their equivalents.

Line Graphics

The following variables may be used to add line drawing characters to
the screen with routines of the addch() family. When variables are
defined for the terminal, the A_ALTCHARSET bit is turned on (see curs_attr(3CURSES)).
Otherwise, the default character listed below is stored in the variable. The
names chosen are consistent with the VT100 nomenclature.

Name

Default

Glyph Description

ACS_ULCORNER

+

upper left-hand corner

ACS_LLCORNER

+

lower left-hand
corner

ACS_URCORNER

+

upper right-hand corner

ACS_LRCORNER

+

lower right-hand corner

ACS_RTEE

+

right tee

ACS_LTEE

+

left tee

ACS_BTEE

+

bottom tee

ACS_TTEE

+

top tee

ACS_HLINE

-

horizontal line

ACS_VLINE

|

vertical line

ACS_PLUS

+

plus

ACS_S1

-

scan line
1

ACS_S9

-

scan line 9

ACS_DIAMOND

+

diamond

ACS_CKBOARD

:

checker board (stipple)

ACS_DEGREE

'

degree symbol

ACS_PLMINUS

#

plus/minus

ACS_BULLET

o

bullet

ACS_LARROW

<

arrow pointing left

ACS_RARROW

>

arrow pointing right

ACS_DARROW

v

arrow pointing down

ACS_UARROW

^

arrow
pointing up

ACS_BOARD

#

board of squares

ACS_LANTERN

#

lantern symbol

ACS_BLOCK

#

solid square block

Return Values

All routines return the integer ERR upon failure and an integer value
other than ERR upon successful completion.